In recent years the design of non-commercial type automotive vehicles has undergone a considerable change. That is, the trend has been, and is now, to have the vehicle relatively smaller in overall dimensions and yet provide for the greater use of such vehicles. For example, many of those who have in the past purchased what is usually referred to as a station wagon, have become aware of the fact that such a vehicle is usually quite large and relatively substantially heavier than automobiles which are not station wagons. It has also become apparent that the total available cargo carrying capacity of such station wagons is rarely, if ever, actually needed or used. Further, in most instances of normal driving and use, none of the cargo area provided by the station wagon is needed or used since the station wagon is employed for merely transporting the vehicle operator and possibly one or two other passengers.
The effect of the above is that the purchaser of a station wagon has had to pay considerably more to buy the station wagon and yet does not continually need the main advantage provided thereby, that being, large cargo carrying capacity. The purchaser thereof further continues to pay increased operating costs because of the relatively heavier weight of the station wagon resulting, for example, in greater fuel consumption, tire wear and brake wear.
Accordingly, a generally smaller and more personalized automobile has gained greater popularity with such having forwardly and rearwardly situated seat assemblies. Often, in such vehicles, there is an open cargo carrying area immediately rearwardly of the rear of the seat back portion of the rearwardly situated seat assembly. Some of such vehicles also provide for suitable hinging means whereby the rearwardly situated seat back may be pivotally swung generally forwardly and downwardly thereby placing the folded seat back in a plane generally extending the cargo support surface of the cargo carrying area.
Further, it has become popular in such vehicles to provide what is commonly referred to as a hatchback door. That is, such a door is usually one situated at the rear of the vehicle and pivotally swingable to and from open positions with the point or centerline of such swingable rotation being relatively high in the general roof structure of the vehicle. Such hatchback doors also contain a window therein with such window serving as the rear window of the vehicle when the hatchback door is closed. The provision of such a hatchback door, usually relatively large and often extending downwardly to the vicinity of the vehicular rear bumper, enables the easy loading and unloading of cargo through the rear of the vehicle.
A significant problem of such hatchback type vehicles is that whatever cargo is placed in the cargo area such is totally visible to anyone who looks through the vehicle windows. The fact that such cargo is visible adds to or creates the temptation for persons to break into the vehicle and steal such cargo. Such temptation is often given-in-to especially where the cargo is relatively costly as, for example, where the vehicle owner has possibly customized the vehicle by the addition of radio speakers or the like in the cargo carrying area. However, the provision of a permanent fixed security panel as a cover in such cargo carrying area would defeat the purpose of such generally open cargo area and significantly reduce its general utility especially where cargo of relatively large dimensions had to be transported.
Accordingly, the invention as herein disclosed and claimed is primarily directed to the solution of the preceding as well as other related and attendant problems.